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Your Laptop Computer's Built-In Camera is a Hidden Privacy Hazard
9/16/2015 | Charles O'Connell

Posted on 09/15/2015 12:04:03 AM PDT by CharlesOConnell

 Google webcam privacy risk - this is a real issue.

 Your laptop webcam can be hacked.

 If you have to make videos, get yourself a cheap outboard web-camera that YOU control by unplugging it. Put tape over the built-in web-camera, find where the microphone is and tape it over too (find your laptop's manual online, look at the parts/features diagram.)

I got a cheap web cam to use on my desktop computer. I downloaded Skype. My daughter is too busy to Skype to help me test it. The first thing that happened, "Esther" from Ghana wanted to Skype with me. Leaving it hooked up is an invitation to privacy invasion.

 If you don't disable it, by no means leave it on in your bedroom or bathroom.


TOPICS: Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: identity; theft

1 posted on 09/15/2015 12:04:03 AM PDT by CharlesOConnell
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To: CharlesOConnell

A Little Black electrical tape works wonders

2 posted on 09/15/2015 12:05:48 AM PDT by GraceG (Protect the Border from Illegal Aliens, Don't Protect Illegal Alien Boarders...)
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To: GraceG

you dont need to tape the damn thing, just place a folded paper on top like we do in the office. Eventually you’ll use it for Skype or Viber


3 posted on 09/15/2015 12:10:04 AM PDT by max americana (fired liberals in our company last election, and I laughed while they cried (true story))
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To: max americana

I use a band aid.


4 posted on 09/15/2015 12:35:33 AM PDT by ColdSteelTalon (Light is fading to shadow, and casting its shroud over all we have known...)
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To: CharlesOConnell

I like what you’ve done to your room:)


5 posted on 09/15/2015 12:36:27 AM PDT by Ken H
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To: CharlesOConnell

I have a sticky note taped over mine.


6 posted on 09/15/2015 12:40:58 AM PDT by Politicalkiddo ("...for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." -1 John 4:4)
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To: GraceG
Precisely my solution. I cut out a little square of tape and reverse its sticky side onto the part of the tape that actually covers the lens, so the lens doesn't get mucked up.

There are inexpensive webcam covers on Amazon. If I used Skype more I would buy one.

7 posted on 09/15/2015 12:43:22 AM PDT by TChad
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To: CharlesOConnell

I prefer to go the techie approach and dismantle the laptop to disconnect the wires.


8 posted on 09/15/2015 12:44:47 AM PDT by Crazieman (Article V or National Divorce. The only solutions now.)
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To: GraceG

You beat me to it. I have a story about black tape but I don’t think its appropriate for this site. It involves a husband and wife and the husband wishing he would have put some electrical tape on the little red light on the video recorder.


9 posted on 09/15/2015 12:45:15 AM PDT by BBell
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To: CharlesOConnell
"Esther" from Ghana

Esther!!! Is she cheating on me??????? She said I was the only one for her!

10 posted on 09/15/2015 12:55:27 AM PDT by Michael.SF. (This tagline lists all of Hilary's accomplishments............................)
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To: Michael.SF.
Esther!!! Is she cheating on me??????? She said I was the only one for her!

She said the same thing to me. She told me her father just died, and he was the minister of finance. She inherited $20 million. She offered to give me $10 million if I would wire her $5,000 in good faith money. I think I might do it. She is very sincere, and I know she loves me. 😎

11 posted on 09/15/2015 1:29:25 AM PDT by Mark17 (Heaven, where the only thing there that's been made by man are the scars in the hands of Jesus)
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To: GraceG

Black tape is step 1 on all my laptops. I have a phone.


12 posted on 09/15/2015 3:18:20 AM PDT by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: Mark17

You are a very lucky man! Does she have a sister?


13 posted on 09/15/2015 3:18:59 AM PDT by coon2000 (Give me Liberty or give me death!)
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To: coon2000
You are a very lucky man! Does she have a sister?

I don't know her well enough yet, but soon I will ask. If she does, she might ask you to wire her $5,000 to meet her sister. It would be money well spent. 😂😇😆

14 posted on 09/15/2015 3:42:05 AM PDT by Mark17 (Heaven, where the only thing there that's been made by man are the scars in the hands of Jesus)
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To: coon2000

No sister but she does have a brother named Fred Sanford.


15 posted on 09/15/2015 3:50:07 AM PDT by ImNotLying
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To: ImNotLying

But I thought Fred was her brother-in-law!


16 posted on 09/15/2015 5:16:01 AM PDT by rfreedom4u (Chris Stevens won't be running for president.)
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To: CharlesOConnell

I do not own a laptop. And the webcam for my PC gets unplugged when not in use.


17 posted on 09/15/2015 5:16:32 AM PDT by rfreedom4u (Chris Stevens won't be running for president.)
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To: CharlesOConnell

Same with your cellphone.


18 posted on 09/15/2015 6:36:06 AM PDT by ViLaLuz (2 Chronicles 7:14)
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To: GraceG

My wife uses a sticker that says, “Have a nice day.”


19 posted on 09/15/2015 9:46:46 AM PDT by Sequoyah101 (It feels like we have exchaned our dreams for survival. We just have a few days that don't suck.)
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To: CharlesOConnell

Buy a tv without a builtin camera and microphone.


20 posted on 09/15/2015 10:28:29 AM PDT by minnesota_bound
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